《Online game i am level 1 killing all the god》 Chapter 1: Killing World, SSS-Level Talent Planet Aquamarine, 2032 AD, 23:59 AM Dragon Kingdom, Magic City Inside a small rental apartment, a young man sat hunched over his desk, staring at his phone screen. "Sleep? Can you sleep at your age?" Jack couldn''t help but twitch his lips at the famous quote from Mr. Tang displayed on his screen. Freshly graduated and already promoted to the glorious yet soul-crushing profession of a programmer, he had no time for sleep. Sighing, he lit a cigarette, hoping it would keep him awake for another coding session. But at that moment¡ª [Global Announcement!] "All humans on Planet Aquamarine are about to enter the World of Slaughter at the same time!" "Whether you are an elderly man on the verge of death or a baby crying for food, under the blessing of the Will of the Killing World, you will be transformed into an 18-year-old with a healthy body and a normal mind!" "Character modeling in progress... Function templates being synchronized... World data being synchronized... Processing complete. Connecting to the Killing World... Connection established!" "Welcome to the World of Killing!" "This is a brutal realm filled with demons and monsters, endless death threats, but also boundless opportunities and resources. If you are strong enough, you may even become a god!" "Good luck to you all!" The cold, robotic voice echoed in the minds of billions across Planet Aquamarine. "What the hell?" Jack was stunned. Before he could fully process what was happening, his body suddenly vanished into thin air. In the next second, he found himself inside a simple wooden house. Looking around, Jack noted that the room was barely ten square meters. It contained nothing but a wooden bed with a basic mattress and a set of blankets. His clothes had also changed¡ªhe now wore a plain white cloth shirt and trousers, with a pair of old BJ cloth shoes on his feet. [System Notification!] "According to your pre-teleportation location, you have been assigned to Novice Village G233, with a total population of 1,000."Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. "You are currently inside the Novice Village Cabin. During the 10-day novice protection period, only you can enter and exit this cabin freely. While inside, you are completely invincible!" "Novice Assessment Task: Survive for 10 days and successfully kill a monster of at least Level 10!" "Warning: Failure to complete the assessment will result in elimination. Completing it will grant a surprise reward!" "Tip: Open the function template to explore survival methods in this world." Jack took a deep breath as the influx of information settled in his mind. "So¡­ this is a game?" Jack muttered to himself. Not just him, but the entire human population of Planet Aquamarine had been transported here! Taking a moment to process everything, he willed the function template to appear, and a virtual light screen flashed before his eyes. There were only three available options: [Personal Information] [Remote Trading Platform] [Chat Interface] Very basic. Jack instinctively opened his Personal Information panel. A new screen appeared. [Personal Information] Name: Jack ID: SJ,8848 Race: Carbon-based Human Level: Lv1 (0/5000) Occupation: None HP: 210/210 Energy: 100/100 Attributes: Strength: 6 Agility: 6 Spirit: 10 Stamina: 6 Endurance: 10 (Note: Initial attribute values range between 6-10, depending on physical condition.) Free Attribute Points: 0 Skill: Scouting (General Skill) Equipment: None Talent: To Be Drawn! Jack noticed there were detailed explanations for each stat. Strength: Determines physical attack power. Agility: Affects movement speed, attack speed, and skill casting speed. Spirit: Governs magical attack power. Stamina: Increases HP, energy, and both physical/magical defenses. Endurance: Reduces energy consumption and shortens abnormal status effects. Jack frowned. "Why are my Strength, Agility, and Stamina at the lowest (6), but my Spirit and Endurance are maxed at 10?" Then he thought about it and sighed. "Must be the side effects of all those years of gaming and pulling all-nighters as a programmer." He chuckled. "That reminds me¡­ didn¡¯t I once play ranked matches for nearly 40 hours straight during the May Day holiday?" Jack shook his head, grateful he hadn¡¯t dropped dead back then. Just as he was pondering, another system announcement played. [System Notification!] "To help all players adapt to the Killing World, everyone will receive a randomly assigned talent!" "Talent quality is ranked from lowest to highest: F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS!" "The higher the rank, the lower the probability of obtaining it. On average, only one person per 20 billion will acquire an SSS-level talent. Talents above S-rank will never be duplicated." "Good luck! Talent extraction in progress..." Jack held his breath as the system message flashed on his interface. [Talent Extraction Complete!] "Congratulations! You have obtained the SSS-level Talent: [Chaos]!" Jack¡¯s eyes widened in shock. "Wait¡­ SSS-level?!" His heart pounded. This was the best talent possible¡ªsomething only one person in 20 billion could obtain! Excited, he immediately opened the talent description. [Talent: Chaos] Effect 1: All experience points gained can be used to enhance personal attributes, equipment, special items, etc. However, experience cannot be used to increase your level. Effect 2: Removes level restrictions for all skill books, equipment, and special items. "???" Jack frowned. "So¡­ I can¡¯t level up?" In most games, leveling up was crucial. A level 1 player, no matter how well-equipped, would struggle against a level 18 opponent. But then, Jack reconsidered. Levels primarily provided two benefits: 1. Increased base stats. 2. Access to higher-tier skills and equipment. With his Chaos talent, he could bypass both issues. He could enhance his stats using experience, and there were no level restrictions on equipment or skills. Jack¡¯s mind raced. "This could be broken¡­ or completely useless, depending on the experience cost of upgrades." But considering its rarity¡ªonly one in 20 billion¡ªit had to be insanely powerful. Just as Jack was analyzing his talent, another system announcement interrupted him. [System Notification!] "Talent extraction complete! Before your adventure officially begins, each player will receive a [Novice Blind Box]." "Check it in [Personal Information] ¡ú [Backpack]." "Final countdown to the start of the Killing World: 10... 9... 8... 3... 2... 1..." "The Killing World is now open! Good luck to all humans on Planet Aquamarine!" As the countdown hit zero, Jack clenched his fists. A new world of chaos, bloodshed, and endless opportunity had begun. And he was the only level 1 player who could become a god. --- End of Chapter 1 Chapter 2: Hell Begins—The Novice Village Is Overrun by Goblins! As the ten-second countdown reached zero, Jack noticed that the small wooden door of his cabin was now unlocked. However, he didn''t rush outside. Instead, he opened the "Public Chat Channel" to observe the situation. Public Chat Channel: "What the hell just happened? How did I suddenly end up in this wooden house?" "Mom, I¡¯m scared! I want to go home!" "Wait a second¡­ Is that my wife¡¯s avatar? Damn! She was 32 before, but now she looks 18 again!" "Yeah, it feels like I¡¯m back in my youth. No more back pain¡­ I love it!" "Swallow, please don¡¯t leave me again. I can¡¯t live without you¡­" "Haha, this is like a second chance! I wasted my youth before, but in this world, I¡¯m gonna live it to the fullest!" "Don¡¯t be too optimistic. Remember, this world is called the Slaughter World. That doesn¡¯t sound like a place for second chances!" "You¡¯re right. Have you checked outside? There are goblins everywhere! Real, living monsters! I¡¯m shaking just looking at them!" "Same here! And I realized something¡ªour village has about 1,000 people, and every single one of us has goblins outside our doors!" Jack''s eyes widened in shock. "A monster called a goblin? And they¡¯ve occupied the entire novice village?" His heart pounded. He quickly closed the chat and turned his attention to the door. There were no windows in his cabin, but through the small gap in the wooden door, he could see the outside world. And sure enough, there they were. Several ugly goblins wandered in front of his door. They were short, barely a meter tall, with green, red, or white skin. Some wielded crude clubs, while others carried short staffs, the tips flickering with fire or ice magic. Further in the distance, Jack could see other wooden houses¡ªlikely the homes of other players like him. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. He clenched his fists. "Should I go out and fight them?" His first instinct was to rush outside and attack. But after a moment of hesitation, he took a deep breath and forced himself to stay put. No. He needed to be cautious. This wasn¡¯t a simple game. If he died here, he wouldn''t respawn. He had only one life. "It¡¯s better to wait and see how others handle the goblins first." Jack opened the chat again. --- Public Chat Channel: "Hey, has anyone tried using Scouting on the goblins?" Jack checked his own skill list. "Scouting (General Skill): Consumes 1 Energy to reveal the target''s basic attributes. If the target is significantly weaker than the user, additional details may be revealed." "So it costs 1 Energy to use?" Jack hesitated. He didn''t want to waste his Energy just yet. Luckily, someone in the chat had already done it. "I just used Scouting. Here are the goblin stats:" Melee Goblin (Lv1): HP: 300 Strength: 12 Agility: 9 Spirit: 3 Endurance: 5 Stamina: 10 Flame Goblin (Lv1) / Frost Goblin (Lv1): HP: 280 Strength: 5 Agility: 5 Spirit: 12 Endurance: 5 Stamina: 9 Jack''s heart sank. "Damn. These things are stronger than I expected." At first glance, the goblins didn¡¯t seem that much stronger than him. But the melee goblins had higher Strength and Agility, making them deadly in close combat. Meanwhile, the Flame and Frost Goblins had high Spirit stats, meaning their magic attacks could be devastating. Even worse, the goblins traveled in groups. Fighting one might be possible¡­ But if he attracted multiple at once? That would be a death sentence. --- Public Chat Channel: "Be careful, guys!" "I don¡¯t care! I¡¯m going to fight one!" "Bro, be smart about it! Their stats are higher than ours, and there are a lot of them!" "Haha, you don¡¯t get it! I got the D-rank talent Strength Amplification! It boosts my Strength by 30%. That means I have 12 Strength now! A melee goblin has the same stat as me¡ªI can take it!" "Damn, I only got an F-rank talent that increases my hearing range. What a useless ability!" "LOL, I got an E-rank talent called Fire Control! And I got a Fireball skill book in my novice blind box. Time to burn some goblins!" Jack watched silently, his anticipation growing. "Good. Let them test the waters first." Then, something hit him. "Wait a second¡­ I almost forgot!" He quickly opened his personal inventory. There it was¡ªa Novice Blind Box! --- Novice Blind Box: Type: One-time consumable Effect: Grants a random item, which may include equipment, skill books, or special items. Note: If you''re lucky, you might even get a Golden Epic item! Jack''s heart pounded. "I have an SSS-rank talent! My luck must be insane! Maybe I¡¯ll get something amazing!" With a deep breath, he opened the box. A system notification appeared. "Ding! You have opened the Novice Blind Box!" "Congratulations! You have received 10,000 Experience Points!" Jack¡¯s eyes widened in excitement. But before he could celebrate¡ª "Warning: Your talent Chaos has taken effect. Automatic level-up has failed." Jack froze. "Wait¡­ What?" Then he remembered. His Chaos talent prevented him from leveling up. Instead, his experience points could be used to enhance his attributes, equipment, and special items. He opened his personal panel and checked his experience points. Sure enough¡ª Experience: 10,000 Jack grinned. "This might be even better than leveling up!" --- Public Chat Channel: "Guys! I just fought a goblin!" "Holy crap! Did you win?!" "Barely¡­ I almost died. These things hit hard!" "Told you to be careful! How many hits did it take to kill one?" "At least 20 punches. And that was with my Strength Amplification talent." Jack clenched his fists. "20 hits just to kill one¡­?" This was worse than he thought. With no weapons, most players were too weak to deal significant damage. And the goblins? They only needed a few hits to kill a player. Jack exhaled slowly. "I need a weapon. And I need to get stronger. Fast." He looked at his 10,000 experience points and smirked. "Time to put my Chaos talent to the test." --- Next Chapter: The First Kill! Jack Strengthens His Attributes! --- Chapter 3: Surprise! The Novice Blind Box Opens 10,000 Experience Points! "I got 10,000 experience points. This is amazing!" Jack cheered excitedly. Although he wasn¡¯t lucky enough to obtain high-quality skill books, equipment, or other rare items, gaining 10,000 experience points was still a huge win. With experience points, he could strengthen himself using talents. "Let''s see what this SSS-level talent can do." Rubbing his hands together, Jack focused on his virtual panel. A prompt suddenly appeared in the lower right corner of his vision. [Hint: Enhancing the ''Agility'' attribute for the first time requires 100 experience points. Do you want to proceed?] Agility affected attack speed, movement speed, and skill release speed. As the saying went, "In martial arts, speed is the only invincible force." The higher his agility, the greater his chances of survival. Without hesitation, Jack chose to enhance it. [Tip: You consumed 100 experience points. ''Agility'' +1.] He continued. [Hint: Enhancing ''Agility'' for the second time requires 200 experience points. Do you want to proceed?] [Hint: Enhancing ''Agility'' for the third time requires 300 experience points. Do you want to proceed?] The cost increased with each upgrade, but the benefits were worth it. Jack strengthened his agility repeatedly, spending a total of 5,500 experience points to increase his agility by 10 points. Just as he was about to continue, a new prompt appeared. [Hint: Enhancing ''Agility'' for the 11th time requires 2000 experience points. Proceed?] [Note: This enhancement will increase ''Agility'' by 2 points and has a small chance to trigger a super enhancement, increasing ''Agility'' by 4 points!] Jack hesitated. Previously, each enhancement cost progressively more, but this sudden spike in cost meant a greater boost in return. However, he couldn¡¯t afford to pour all his points into agility. No matter how fast he moved, he wouldn¡¯t survive if he couldn''t deal proper damage or withstand attacks. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Instead, he decided to distribute his remaining experience points across different attributes. [Hint: You consumed 1500 experience points and strengthened the ''Strength'' attribute 5 times. ''Strength'' +5.] [Hint: You consumed 1500 experience points and strengthened the ''Stamina'' attribute 5 times. ''Stamina'' +5.] [Hint: You consumed 1000 experience points and strengthened the ''Endurance'' attribute 4 times. ''Endurance'' +4.] After these upgrades, only 500 experience points remained. Jack considered enhancing his Spirit attribute, which determined the strength of magical output. But since he had no magic-based abilities, he decided to save those points for now. Then, something caught his eye. "Wait, experience points can also enhance skills and equipment?" Jack quickly checked his inventory. His current clothing¡ªsimple tops, bottoms, and cloth shoes¡ªdidn¡¯t qualify as proper equipment. That meant the only thing he could enhance was skills. [Hint: Enhancing the skill ''Scouting'' for the first time requires 500 experience points. Do you want to proceed?] Jack¡¯s eyes lit up. "I wonder how my skill will change after enhancement?" He confirmed the upgrade. [Hint: You consumed 500 experience points. The skill ''Scouting'' has upgraded to ''Insight'' (Advanced Skill). Skill effects have changed.] [Insight (Advanced Skill): Consumes 1 energy point to reveal the basic attributes and weak points of a single target.] "The cost remains the same, but now I can detect enemy weak points? Not bad!" Jack grinned. With that, he had used up all 10,000 experience points from the novice blind box. He opened his personal dashboard to review his progress. --- Status Panel Name: Jack ID: SJ8848 Race: Carbon-based human Level: Lv1 (0/10,000) Occupation: None HP: 260/260 Energy: 105/105 Attributes: Strength: 11 Agility: 16 Spirit: 10 Stamina: 11 Endurance: 14 Free Attribute Points: 0 Skill: Insight (Advanced Skill) Equipment: None Talent: Chaos (SSS-level quality) --- Jack felt a sense of accomplishment. He had significantly improved his stats without even stepping outside to fight a single monster. But suddenly, a chilling global announcement echoed in everyone¡¯s ears. [Announcement: Ma Qiangdong (ID: DC4404) has been killed by a Level 1 Flame Goblin!] [Announcement: Liu Huateng (ID: XX0086) has been killed by a Level 1 Frost Goblin!] Jack was stunned. Two players had already died? He didn¡¯t witness their deaths firsthand, but the chat channel provided some answers. --- "Goblins are ganging up on people!" "I saw it happen! Ma Qiangdong was fighting a melee goblin, and suddenly, a Flame Goblin ambushed him from behind. He was dead in seconds!" "Liu Huateng died the same way. Damn, are goblins really this hard to fight?" "Wait¡­ if we die, do we actually die for real?! This isn¡¯t a normal game! I just turned from a 60-year-old woman into an 18-year-old girl¡ªI don¡¯t want to die!" --- The chat was in chaos. Panic spread quickly as people realized the true difficulty of surviving in this world. Jack, who had been quietly observing, felt a chill run down his spine. He had considered going out to fight earlier, but thankfully, he held back. Otherwise, he might have been the first to die. The realization sobered him. --- After some time, people started calming down. The excitement of regaining youth or growing stronger was now overshadowed by the harsh reality of survival. This world was brutal. And it was only the beginning. Inside Novice Village G233, the remaining players started discussing how to handle the goblins roaming the area. For now, no one dared to leave their wooden huts. But Jack knew waiting wasn¡¯t an option. He had been monitoring his energy levels, and they were slowly decreasing over time. His body was starting to feel sluggish. There was no food or water in the cabin. If his energy dropped to zero, he might collapse¡ªor worse, die. ¡°No. I can¡¯t just sit here and wait for death.¡± Jack carefully peeked through a crack in the door, observing the goblins nearby. After ten minutes of silent analysis, he finally made his decision. Taking a deep breath, he opened the wooden door¡ªand stepped out into the unknown. --- To be continued¡­ Chapter 4: Unharmed Melee Goblin, First Kill! "My neighbor in the cabin across from me just went out!" "Are you serious? Isn¡¯t he afraid of getting killed?" "Such a warrior! Hey, can you give us a live report?" "No problem. But don¡¯t call me brother¡ªcall me ''Pretty Boy'' instead!" Jack''s actions didn¡¯t go unnoticed. His neighbor, watching from the crack of his own wooden door, quickly posted about it in the public chat. A wave of messages filled the chat as people expressed their concern and curiosity. But Jack wasn¡¯t just rushing into battle blindly. He had already spotted something useful¡ªa wooden stick about a meter long, thick as an arm, lying on the ground not far from his cabin. It looked like leftover wood from constructing the houses. He grabbed it immediately, and a notification popped up: [Item: Wooden Stick] Quality: Ordinary Durability: 10/10 Attributes: None Evaluation: Just a plain wooden stick. Nothing special. "Well, it¡¯s better than fighting with my bare hands," Jack muttered, gripping the stick tightly. Now, it was time to choose his first target¡ªa lone melee goblin. Jack knew goblins rarely wandered alone. But from his earlier observation, he had spotted one isolated from its group. Its nearest companion was over 30 meters away. This was his best chance to strike without drawing too much attention. Jack crept closer. Ten meters¡­ Nine¡­ Eight¡­ The goblin remained oblivious. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Five meters¡­ Three¡­ Still, no reaction. Jack realized something¡ªthe goblins weren¡¯t very intelligent. Even though he was practically breathing down its neck, it hadn¡¯t noticed him. "Perfect." Jack took a deep breath, raised his stick, and swung down hard. BANG! Blood splattered as the wooden stick smashed against the goblin¡¯s skull. -40! A bright red number floated above the goblin¡¯s head. [System Notification: You have struck the enemy¡¯s weak spot! Damage doubled! The enemy is now stunned for 2 seconds.] "I stunned it?" Jack¡¯s eyes lit up. Wasting no time, he swung his stick again¡ªonce, twice, three times¡ªeach strike landing squarely on the goblin¡¯s head. -40! -40! -40! The goblin''s health plummeted to nearly half in just a few seconds. However, Jack noticed something¡ªhis first hit triggered the stun, but the follow-up attacks didn¡¯t. "Maybe the weak spot effect only works on the first hit? Or is it random?" he wondered, making a mental note to test it later. The goblin, now fully aware, let out an enraged screech. "RAAAH!" Its red eyes locked onto Jack as it raised its own crude wooden club and charged. But to Jack, it felt like slow motion. With an agility stat of 16, compared to the goblin¡¯s 9, he was clearly faster. Dodging was effortless. With a small sidestep, the goblin¡¯s attack missed entirely. Jack countered with a quick strike¡ª BANG! -40! Another clean hit. The goblin grunted, but its eyes suddenly flickered with something Jack didn¡¯t like¡ªcunning. It screamed. A loud, piercing cry. Jack¡¯s heart sank. "Goblins don¡¯t fight alone for long, do they?" His eyes darted toward the distance. Sure enough, two more goblins¡ªone melee and one frost goblin¡ªwere now charging toward him from over 30 meters away. "Damn it. They heard the scream!" Jack didn¡¯t hesitate. He needed to finish this quickly. Raising his stick, he swung again¡ª -40! -20! -40! The goblin tried to dodge, but Jack¡¯s strikes were relentless. With a final, sickening crack, the goblin collapsed. [System Notification: You have killed ¡°Melee Goblin (Lv1 Ordinary Creature)¡±. You have gained 100 EXP and 1 Energy Coin.] [System Notification: You are the first person to kill a ¡°Melee Goblin¡± in G233 Novice Village! You have earned a ¡°First Kill Reward: Ordinary Blind Box!¡±] Jack''s eyes widened. "Wait¡­ there¡¯s a first kill reward?" But he had no time to celebrate. The other two goblins were closing in. Jack¡¯s instincts screamed at him to retreat. One goblin was manageable. Two, especially with a frost caster, was pushing it. Jack turned and sprinted back to his wooden house. Ten meters¡­ Eight¡­ Five¡­ He threw himself inside and slammed the door shut. BANG! BANG! The goblins reached his door a second later, clawing and pounding at the wood. Jack exhaled. Luckily, during the novice protection period, the wooden houses were practically indestructible. The goblins could bang on the door all they wanted¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t get through. Now, he could focus on the rewards. Jack pulled up his inventory. [Item: Ordinary Blind Box] Type: One-time consumable (Cannot be traded) Effect: Opens to grant a random ordinary-quality item. Jack smirked. "Let¡¯s see what I get." He tapped to open the box. [Ding! You have opened an ¡°Ordinary Blind Box¡± and obtained the equipment: Worn Tang Sword!] Jack''s eyes lit up as a new item materialized in his inventory. He quickly checked its stats. [Item: Worn Tang Sword] Quality: Ordinary Durability: 15/15 Attack Power: +5 Attribute: None Evaluation: An old but still usable sword. Much better than a stick. Jack grinned. "Now, this is more like it!" He could already feel the difference. A wooden stick could barely be considered a weapon, but this¡ªthis was an actual blade. Even if it was low quality, it was sharp. Jack tightened his grip around the sword¡¯s hilt. The goblins were still outside, trying in vain to break through the door. But now, he had a proper weapon. And with it¡­ a real chance at survival. The hunt was just beginning. --- Chapter 5: Strengthening the Worn-Out Tang Sword & The Role of Energy Coins ¡°This guy is insane!¡± "A single strike to defeat a melee goblin without taking any damage!" "He figured out that attacking from behind is effective... Look at how agile he is... Oh, now two more goblins are coming because of the noise... And he hid in the wooden house to avoid them? Haha, so smart!" Jack¡¯s neighbor, who lived right across from him, kept updating the chat platform with a live-text feed of Jack¡¯s battle. People were amazed. Soon, the chat channel became lively. "666666~" "Boss, you''re amazing!" "He can take down a melee goblin without even getting hit. Just how high is his agility? Did he awaken some crazy talent?" "So jealous. Even the lowest-level agility talent is better than my F-rank ¡®Enhanced Sense of Smell¡¯..." "Thanks for the real-time commentary! I feel like goblins aren¡¯t as scary as I thought, hahaha~" Jack¡¯s performance had completely changed the atmosphere. Before this, two players with decent talents had died at the hands of goblins. Fear of the unknown made it worse. No one knew the goblins'' weaknesses, and the only thing on their minds was the fear of death. But now, thanks to Jack¡¯s actions and his neighbor¡¯s narration, people finally had some understanding of the goblins. They learned that melee goblins were slow and had poor agility. They also realized that wooden houses could be used as cover to avoid fights. The fear in their hearts faded. Some even started feeling confident enough to fight back. Then, someone raised an idea in the chat: Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. "Goblins attack in groups, so why don¡¯t we? If they can gang up on us, we can do the same to them! Let¡¯s form teams!" The suggestion gained instant support. After a quick discussion, they reached two agreements: 1. Players must share their stats and talent information before forming a team. 2. Since goblins could attack at any time, those in nearby houses should form teams first. With that settled, many people took action. Strengthening the Worn-Out Tang Sword Meanwhile, Jack picked up the Tang Sword he had obtained from the blind box and checked its stats. ¡¸Worn-Out Tang Sword¡¹ Quality: Lv1 Normal Type: Light Weapon (+10% Attack Speed) Durability: 15/15 Requirement: Lv1 or above Physical Attack Power: +12 Evaluation: "A rusty, broken sword, but still sharp enough to kill." The Tang Sword was black with rust spots covering its surface. It was about 1.2 meters long, with a balanced weight that felt surprisingly comfortable in Jack¡¯s hands. "Not bad. Let¡¯s see if I can enhance it!" He activated his SSS-level talent to strengthen the sword. "Oh? It only takes 100 experience points? That¡¯s perfect¡ªI got exactly 100 from the melee goblin!" Since it was just a low-level weapon, the cost was minimal. Ding! "You have consumed 100 experience points. Your ''Worn-Out Tang Sword'' has been enhanced! Its attributes have slightly increased." Jack checked the updated stats. The sword now had "+1" next to its name, and its physical attack power increased by +2. Energy Coins: A Game-Changer Jack then pulled out a small, round coin from his backpack. ¡¸Energy Coin¡¹ Function: Used to restore equipment durability and replenish energy. Source: Dropped from defeated monsters. "So this world has a built-in supply system?" Jack decided to save it for later. Now armed with a stronger sword, he turned toward the wooden door. Outside, two goblins were still waiting for him¡ªthe same ones who had chased him earlier. "There was a first-kill reward for the melee goblin¡­ Does that mean there are also rewards for the Fire and Frost Goblins?" Jack¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. Hunting Down the Goblins Without hesitation, he opened the door and rushed outside. His agility was now far superior to that of the goblins. As long as he played smart, he wouldn''t get hit. With the newly enhanced Tang Sword, his attacks were even more powerful. -64! (Weak Point Damage!) -32! -64! (Weak Point Damage!) Within twenty seconds, the melee goblin was dead. If he had gone all out, he could have finished it even faster. But Jack was cautious. He was dealing with two goblins at once, and the other one was a Frost Goblin¡ªa ranged attacker that could launch ice blades every 1.1 to 1.5 seconds. As he fought, Jack carefully analyzed the Frost Goblin¡¯s attack pattern: 1. The Ice Blades were slow¡ªhe could dodge them easily from two meters away. 2. There was a clear casting animation before the Ice Blade was launched, allowing him to predict and evade. With this knowledge, he confidently moved in to attack. The Frost Goblin had even lower agility and defense than melee goblins, making it an easy target. Jack went for the weak spot¡ªthe head. -68! (Weak Point Damage!) -68! (Weak Point Damage!) In just five strikes, the Frost Goblin fell. Ding! "You have killed a ''Frost Goblin (Lv1 Normal)''! You gained 100 experience points and 1 Energy Coin!" "Congratulations! You are the first to kill a ''Frost Goblin'' in Novice Village G233! You have received a ''Normal Blind Box'' as a reward!" Jack grinned. "Just as I expected¡ªthere¡¯s a first-kill reward for each goblin type!" He glanced around. The Fire Goblin was the only one left. But he wasn¡¯t the only one hunting. Other players had started venturing outside to challenge goblins, some even forming small teams. If he waited too long, someone else might claim the Fire Goblin¡¯s first-kill reward. "That won¡¯t do!" Jack quickly scanned his surroundings and spotted his next target. Without hesitation, he charged forward! --- End of Chapter 5 Chapter 6: Experience Potion, Kill Goblins! A group of three goblins stood ahead¡ªtwo melee goblins and a fire goblin, which had the ability to attack from a distance. Jack didn¡¯t rush in blindly. Instead, he carefully observed the fire goblin¡¯s attack methods, just as he had done before. He needed to understand its attack rhythm before making a move. It didn¡¯t take long before he figured out its pattern. The fire goblin¡¯s attack style was nearly identical to the frost goblin¡¯s, except that instead of launching ice blades, it hurled fist-sized fireballs. The fireballs moved sluggishly through the air, and the goblin¡¯s casting animation was obvious, making them easy to dodge. Jack also noticed another key detail¡ªthe fire goblin needed to charge up for a fraction of a second before launching an attack. During this charging phase, it couldn¡¯t move or perform any other actions. Standing still like that made it a perfect target. Armed with this knowledge, Jack made his move. Within moments, he dodged its attacks and swiftly struck the fire goblin down. > [System Notification] You have killed a "Fire Goblin (Lv1 Ordinary Creature)." You have gained 100 experience points and 1 energy coin! A second notification popped up right after. > Congratulations! You are the first to kill a "Fire Goblin" in Novice Village G233. You have received the first-kill reward: "Ordinary Blind Box." Jack¡¯s eyes brightened with excitement. "Yes! That makes three first kills!" Not wasting time, he finished off the two melee goblins he had been kiting. Then, he quickly returned to his cabin to open his newly earned blind boxes. > [System Notification] You have opened an "Ordinary Blind Box." Congratulations! You have received the equipment: "Poor-Quality Leather Boots." You have opened an "Ordinary Blind Box." Congratulations! You have received the item: "Small Experience Potion." Jack inspected the leather boots first. They were of the same level as his worn-out Tang sword¡ªjust Lv1 ordinary quality. The boots gave him +2 defense and +5% movement speed, which was a decent upgrade. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Different types of armor had their own special effects. Leather boots, like all leather armor, slightly boosted movement speed. He also knew that armor was classified into categories such as cloth armor, light armor, heavy armor, and plate armor, each offering different benefits. After equipping his new boots, Jack turned his attention to the special item he had just received¡ªthe Small Experience Potion. --- [Item: Small Experience Potion] Type: Tradable one-time consumable Requirements for Use: None Effect: Grants a 10% bonus to experience gained for the next 60 minutes. --- Jack¡¯s eyes lit up. "This is exactly what I need!" Even though the bonus was only 10%, it was still valuable in the early game. His SSS-level Chaos Talent allowed him to grow stronger at a rapid pace, but increasing his experience gain would make him even more unstoppable. Without hesitation, Jack drank the potion and immediately spent the 300 experience points he had just gained. > [System Notification] You have spent 200 experience points to enhance "Worn Tang Sword +2." Weapon attributes have slightly improved! You have spent 100 experience points to enhance "Poor-Quality Leather Boots +1." Equipment attributes have slightly improved! Now, his Tang sword had gained 2 additional attack points, and his boots had an extra 1 point of defense. Feeling well-prepared, Jack stepped out of his cabin, eager to hunt more goblins. --- A Neighbor¡¯s Request As soon as Jack walked outside, he noticed the door to the cabin across from his creaking open. A furtive figure peeked out, scanning the area before hesitantly stepping forward. "Hey, bro! Would you mind letting me tag along?" the man asked, his voice uncertain. Jack eyed him curiously. "Why do you want to team up?" "I can... uh, help you pull the monsters!" Jack shook his head. "No thanks. I don¡¯t need help with that." The man looked disappointed. Forming teams had become a common strategy among the other survivors. In group fights, players would pull aggro on different goblins, preventing any single person from being overwhelmed. However, Jack had already proven that he didn¡¯t need a team to take on goblins. He could defeat them effortlessly by himself. Besides, he preferred to keep a low profile. As the saying goes: "A tree that stands tall in the forest is the first to be cut down." He wasn¡¯t going to expose his full strength just yet. Seeing his chance slip away, the man forced a smile. "Alright, alright, I get it... By the way, my name¡¯s Qin Fen. You can call me Handsome!" Jack chuckled. "Alright, Handsome, see you later." With that, he turned and headed toward his next battle. --- Secret Observers Meanwhile, Jack¡¯s brief exchange with Qin Fen had been overheard by other nearby survivors. Many of them had also wanted to form a team with Jack but, after seeing him refuse Qin Fen, they knew they didn¡¯t stand a chance. However, two sisters living in the neighboring cabins were having a heated discussion about him. "Sister, he¡¯s really strong! Should we ask him to team up with us?" the younger sister, Su Youwei, whispered eagerly. Her older sister, Su Qiutong, shook her head firmly. "No way!" "Why not? We both have support abilities. Fighting monsters alone will be really hard! And those goblins are so creepy..." "You can never judge a book by its cover. We don¡¯t know what kind of person he really is. This world is dangerous, and we have to be careful." Su Qiutong¡¯s heart felt heavy. Unlike most survivors, she and her sister had gotten lucky¡ªthey were not only placed in the same Novice Village but were living in cabins right next to each other. However, the sisters faced a huge disadvantage. Neither of them had any combat skills. Su Youwei had awakened an A-rank talent: "Lucky Halo," which boosted the luck of herself and her teammates. Su Qiutong, on the other hand, had a B-rank talent: "Holy Light Affinity." While it had great potential, at the moment, it could only heal small amounts of HP. Their personalities and talents both made it clear¡ªthey needed a strong teammate for protection. Jack seemed like the best candidate. However, Su Qiutong wasn¡¯t ready to trust him just yet. "Let¡¯s observe him for a while first," she said, cautiously watching Jack¡¯s every move. Su Youwei sighed. "Alright... But I still think we should just ask him." --- Jack¡¯s Rampage Unaware of the sisters¡¯ discussion, Jack continued his hunt. With his improved Tang sword and leather boots, slaying goblins became even easier. More than half an hour passed. By the time he struck down another melee goblin, his experience bar had surged to 3,300 points. Thirty goblins had died by his hand. Taking a short break, Jack found a safe corner and opened his status panel. A grin spread across his face. "Alright¡­ It¡¯s time to level up." --- To be continued... Chapter 7: Surprise, Equipment Quality Improved! Killing thirty goblins in over half an hour felt inefficient to Jack. But there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it. Perhaps due to more people mustering the courage to leave their wooden houses and hunt, the goblins in the area had started banding together. Previously, groups of three or four goblins were easy prey. Jack could cut them down with his eyes closed. But now, the smallest goblin teams had at least five members, and dealing with them had become more troublesome. With more enemies in each battle, his efficiency naturally dropped. What frustrated him even more was that out of all the goblins he killed, not a single one dropped equipment or special items. Each kill only yielded the usual experience points and energy coins. "The drop rate is awful. No wonder so many people are still stuck using wooden sticks." Jack sighed, thankful that he''d managed to secure three first-kill rewards earlier. He gripped his Tang sword with relief, but then he noticed something¡ªafter all the fighting, its durability was down to just two points. The same went for his boots. Though they still had nine points of durability left, he needed to repair them before attempting any further upgrades. "Let''s fix them up first," Jack muttered, opening his inventory. A notification popped up: [You have consumed 1 Energy Coin to restore the durability of "Worn Tang Sword +2."] [You have consumed 1 Energy Coin to restore the durability of "Poor Leather Boots +1."] Jack furrowed his brow. "Only one energy coin is needed, regardless of how low the durability is? Or does the cost depend on the item''s quality?" He wasn¡¯t sure yet. Since he only had two pieces of equipment and had only repaired them once, he didn¡¯t have enough data to draw conclusions. But now that his weapon and boots were fully restored, it was time to enhance them. Strengthening Equipment Jack activated his enhancement ability and started upgrading his Tang sword. [You consumed 300 experience points, "Worn Tang Sword +3," attributes slightly improved.] The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. [You consumed 400 experience points, "Worn Tang Sword +4," attributes slightly improved.] He then noticed something new. [Do you want to consume 1,000 experience points to strengthen "Worn Tang Sword +4"?] [Note: This enhancement has a 33% chance to improve the equipment¡¯s quality.] Jack¡¯s eyes widened. "A chance to upgrade its quality?" Without hesitation, he confirmed the enhancement. A moment later, a system notification popped up: [You consumed 1,000 experience points and successfully triggered a 33% chance to upgrade "Worn Tang Sword +4" to a high-grade item, greatly improving its attributes!] Jack quickly checked the updated weapon details: [Equipment: Fine Iron Tang Sword] Quality: Lv1 High Grade Type: Light weapon (Increases attack speed by 10%) Durability: 25/25 Requirement: Lv1 or above Attributes: Physical Attack +24, Strength +2 Evaluation: This Tang sword surpasses most weapons of the same grade! Jack grinned. "Nice, the name even changed! And the stats got a solid boost!" Now that he had a better weapon, Jack debated whether to upgrade his boots next. But after some thought, he decided against it. He hadn¡¯t taken any damage so far, and his agility was more than enough to keep dodging attacks. Instead, he focused on strengthening the sword even further. [You consumed 1,000 experience points, "Fine Iron Tang Sword +1," attributes slightly improved.] [You need 1,500 experience points to strengthen "Fine Iron Tang Sword +1." You do not have enough experience points to proceed.] Jack checked his remaining experience¡ªonly 500 points left. Shrugging, he decided to use the rest on his boots. By the time he was done, he had successfully upgraded his "Poor Leather Boots" to "+3." Exploring Beyond the Wooden House Area? Jack considered his next move. "Should I stay and keep hunting goblins, or should I explore beyond the wooden house area?" Goblins were still a reliable source of experience, but he had noticed more people discussing exploration in the chat channel. "The goblin drop rate is terrible. If I want good loot, I need another first-kill reward." High risk often came with high rewards. Exploring outside might be dangerous, but it could lead to better gains. Just as he was about to make a decision, several notifications flooded the chat. --- [Announcement: Bao Lan (ID: IG1557) was killed by a Cat Demon (Lv2 Ordinary Creature).] [Announcement: Zhu Za (ID: DG7777) was killed by a Cat Demon (Lv2 Ordinary Creature).] [Announcement: Xiao Hu (ID: NG2200) was killed by a Cat Demon (Lv2 Ordinary Creature).] --- Jack¡¯s eyes narrowed. Three people had died in an instant. The chat erupted. "Oh my god, another person just died!" "A Level 2 Cat Demon? That''s terrifying!" "Bao Lan, Zhu Za, and Xiao Hu were all strong players! They wiped out teams of goblins like it was nothing!" The situation became even grimmer when a survivor from their team sent a desperate plea for help: "Ahhh! Three of my friends just died! Please, someone, help me! Urgent!" His final message contained crucial intel: Cat Demon Attributes: Level: 2 HP: 400 Strength: 12 Agility: 14 Spirit: 10 Endurance: 12 Stamina: 12 Location: Eastern edge of the wooden house area Warning: These creatures hide in the dark and attack suddenly. There are many of them¡­ Then, another notification appeared. --- [Announcement: Xiao Qu (ID: LG2800) was killed by a Cat Demon (Lv2 Ordinary Creature).] --- A complete team wipe. The chat fell silent for a moment. Then, chaos broke out. "Damn! Four people just died in a row!" "Level 2 creatures are way too strong! Their stats are insane!" "Does anyone know how many free attribute points we get when leveling up?" A lucky player who had received 4,000 experience points from a Novice Blind Box replied: "We get five free attribute points per level-up. Even after leveling up and distributing points, we''re still weaker than the Cat Demons. This is bad!" "Not just that¡ªthese monsters hide and ambush players. You won¡¯t see them coming until it¡¯s too late!" "I''m staying in the wooden house area. No way I''m risking that." "Same here." Jack exhaled sharply. "The Cat Demon¡¯s agility isn¡¯t far off from mine." That was the scariest part. If this was just a Level 2 ordinary creature, he couldn¡¯t even imagine how strong Level 3 or 4 monsters would be. And what about elite monsters or boss creatures? Jack shook his head. "It¡¯s too dangerous. I¡¯ll just keep hunting goblins for now." Grinding for More Experience With his decision made, Jack got back to work. Everyone in the wooden house area continued killing goblins, but strangely, their numbers never seemed to decrease. New goblins kept wandering in from outside, maintaining their population. However, something had changed¡ªthey were more coordinated than before. Now, goblin teams had at least eight members per group. Two hours passed in the blink of an eye. Jack checked his experience points. [Total Experience: 10,600] He smiled. "Time to take a break and upgrade again." --- Chapter 8: Rare Quality Tang Sword, Kill Goblins Instantly! After two hours of intense battle, Jack had killed nearly a hundred goblins. The continuous fighting had drained his energy, leaving him exhausted. He decided it was time to take a break and use some of his experience points to strengthen himself. "Hint: You consumed 10 energy coins, restoring 50 energy points." Instantly, he felt revitalized, as if a surge of fresh energy coursed through his body. "Energy coins work like food and water to some extent. They¡¯re enough to keep me going," Jack muttered, surprised by their effectiveness. Checking his inventory, he saw that he still had 106 energy coins left. Even if he stopped hunting goblins, he could survive for a long time. However, in this dangerous world, staying idle was not an option¡ªif he wanted to survive, he had to keep fighting. Before heading back into battle, Jack used some energy coins to restore the durability of his sword and boots. But what frustrated him was the lack of good loot. After two hours of fighting, he hadn''t received a single piece of useful equipment or items. "The goblin drop rate must be under 1%¡ªthis is ridiculous!" Jack sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and disbelief. He couldn''t tell if it was just his bad luck or if the game was designed that way. With his weapons and armor restored, he decided it was time to upgrade his gear. --- Strengthening the Tang Sword Jack spent a good portion of his accumulated experience points to enhance his weapon. "Hint: You consumed 800 experience points. [Fine Iron Tang Sword +3] attributes slightly improved!" "Hint: You consumed 1,000 experience points. [Fine Iron Tang Sword +4] attributes slightly improved!" "Hint: You consumed 1,200 experience points. A 33% chance has been triggered¡ª[Fine Iron Tang Sword +4] has upgraded to rare quality! Equipment attributes greatly improved!" Jack''s eyes lit up in excitement. "Did it just upgrade to rare quality? Hell yeah!" he thought, picking up the newly enhanced Tang Sword. [Equipment: Fine Tang Sword] Quality: Lv1 Rare Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Type: Light weapon (increases attack speed by 10%) Durability: 50/50 Requirement: Lv1 or above Attributes: Physical attack +68, Strength +12 Special: 2% chance to weaken the opponent¡¯s attributes by 20% for 2 seconds Evaluation: "This Lv1 weapon has attributes comparable to legendary gear!" Jack was thrilled. Not only had the weapon''s base stats increased, but it also gained a new effect that weakened enemies. And the best part? Now that it was a new quality tier, its enhancement counter had reset. "I still have a lot of experience points left. Let''s keep going!" "Hint: You consumed 500 experience points. [Exquisite Tang Sword +1] attributes slightly improved!" "Hint: You consumed 1,000 experience points. [Exquisite Tang Sword +2] attributes slightly improved!" "Hint: You consumed 3,000 experience points. [Exquisite Tang Sword +5] attributes slightly improved!" Jack was hoping to trigger another quality upgrade at +5, but luck wasn¡¯t on his side this time. Still, the weapon¡¯s power had skyrocketed. --- [Exquisite Tang Sword +5] Physical Attack: +103 Strength: +22 Attack Speed: +5% Durability: 50/50 "This is incredible! I wonder if I can one-shot a goblin now?" Jack thought, his excitement growing. Looking around, he noticed that most other players were still fighting with weak, attribute-less weapons¡ªsome even using wooden sticks or bare fists. Meanwhile, he was wielding a weapon that rivaled legendary equipment. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Jack checked his remaining experience points. He had just enough to enhance his boots. "Hint: You spent 300 experience points. [Poor Quality Leather Boots +3]." "Hint: You spent 400 experience points. [Poor Quality Leather Boots +4]." With everything set, he was ready to test his new strength. --- One-Hit Goblin Kills! Jack scanned the area and quickly spotted a group of eight goblins¡ªa mix of melee, fire, and frost goblins. During his previous fights, he had taken them down using skillful dodging and precise strikes. But now, with his enhanced sword, he was confident he could finish them even faster. The moment he entered the battle, he moved swiftly, dodging a frost goblin¡¯s ice blade with ease. Seizing the opportunity, he slashed his sword across a melee goblin¡¯s head. -300! (Weak point damage!) The goblin collapsed instantly, dead in one hit. Jack grinned. "Perfect!" His movements were faster than ever. He sidestepped a fireball and struck another melee goblin in the head. -300! (Weak point damage!) Another instant kill. Within a minute, all eight goblins lay dead at his feet. "Now THIS is efficiency!" Jack smirked. But just as he was about to leave, something unusual caught his eye. Lying among the goblin corpses was an item¡ªa rare sight given the game¡¯s terrible drop rate. --- Loot Drop: Experience Potion! Among the kill notifications, one message stood out. "Hint: You killed the ''Frost Goblin'' and received a ''Normal Blind Box''!" Jack immediately opened it, eager to see what he had won. "Hint: You obtained the item ''Experience Potion (Small)''" It wasn¡¯t much, but Jack was still pleased. At least he had gotten something. Thinking for a moment, he decided to use some experience points to upgrade the potion. "Hint: You consumed 1,000 experience points. ''Experience Potion (Small)'' has been enhanced to ''Experience Potion (Medium).''" [Experience Potion (Medium)] Effect: Increases experience gain by 20% for 60 minutes. Jack smiled. "This will be useful. But I shouldn¡¯t use it just yet." He had been monitoring the chat channel and noticed that some powerful teams had already reached Level 2. If they continued progressing at this pace, they would soon leave the wooden house area to explore deeper parts of the game. Jack knew that getting the first kill reward for stronger monsters was crucial. He needed to act fast. "I have to get ahead of the others!" Without wasting any more time, he set off toward the edge of the wooden house area, where the Cat Demon awaited. --- Into the Dark Forest Jack moved swiftly, killing goblins along the way. After about ten minutes, he had accumulated another 1,200 experience points and finally arrived at the boundary of the wooden house area. Beyond it stretched a dense, shadowy forest. The thick canopy allowed little sunlight to pass through, casting an eerie dimness over the area. Unfamiliar animal sounds echoed through the trees, sending chills down Jack¡¯s spine. "Feels like a horror movie scene," he thought, gripping his sword tightly. Suddenly, a sharp sound cut through the air. "Meow~" Jack¡¯s head snapped to the left. Out of the darkness, a black blur shot toward him like lightning¡ªstraight for his face! It was too fast¡ªthere was no time to dodge! --- TO BE CONTINUED¡­ --- Chapter 9: Slaughtering the Cat Demon and Encountering the Boss! At the critical moment, Jack raised his sword, blocking the incoming attack. A sharp, metallic clash echoed through the air as the creature¡¯s claws struck the blade. Sparks flew, but Jack stood firm, unharmed. The force of the impact made his hands tingle, but he quickly regained his stance, eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of his attacker. A black, shadowy figure crouched in front of him, its crimson eyes glowing menacingly in the dim light. "It''s really a cat demon!" Jack muttered under his breath. The creature¡¯s sleek, pitch-black fur blended almost perfectly with the darkness. If not for its red eyes, it would have been nearly invisible. Now, Jack understood why an elite four-man team had been completely wiped out by these monsters. The cat demon¡¯s stealth and speed made it a formidable opponent. Jack didn¡¯t let his guard down. He kept his eyes locked on the creature, watching its every move. When it lunged at him again, he was ready. With a quick sidestep, he dodged the incoming attack. As the cat demon sailed past him, its claws barely missing his chest, Jack slashed downward with his sword, aiming for the monster¡¯s head. The blade connected. -112! Triple-digit damage numbers appeared in the air, but Jack frowned. ¡°Its skull is too hard¡­ That wasn¡¯t a weak point?¡± Realizing he needed more information, Jack activated his Insight skill. A detailed status screen appeared before him. "Species: Cat Demon (Lv2 Ordinary Creature)" "Attributes: HP 400, Strength 12, Agility 14, Spirit 10, Endurance 12, Stamina 12" "Weak Spot: Abdomen." Jack smirked. "Got it." The cat demon launched another attack. Jack, now fully aware of its movements, easily dodged to the side. This time, he swung his sword with precision, targeting its exposed abdomen. -224! (Weak Point Damage) Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The cat demon shrieked in pain, its body twisting midair before crashing onto the ground. Jack didn¡¯t give it time to recover. As soon as it landed, he rushed forward and delivered a final, decisive strike. -64! (Lethal Damage) The cat demon let out one last agonized cry before collapsing lifelessly. A system notification popped up. "Congratulations! You have slain ¡®Cat Demon (Lv2 Ordinary Creature).¡¯ You have gained 126 experience points (5% bonus for killing a higher-level creature) and 1 energy coin!" Another notification immediately followed. "First Kill Achievement Unlocked! You are the first player to defeat a ¡®Cat Demon¡¯ in Novice Village G233. You have received a ¡®Normal Blind Box¡¯ as a reward!" Jack¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Nice! I got the first kill reward!¡± Without hesitation, he opened the blind box. "You have obtained the skill book ¡®Illumination¡¯!" Jack was surprised. "A skill book? That¡¯s a rare drop!" He eagerly examined the details. --- [Skill: Illumination (Basic)] Quality: Normal Type: One-time consumable item (tradable) Requirements: Level 2, Spirit 8+ Effect: Consumes 2 energy points to summon a light source that dispels darkness within a 30x30 meter area. Lasts for 60 seconds. --- Jack grinned. "This is perfect! Now I won¡¯t have to worry about sneak attacks from these cat demons!" He immediately used the skill book, learning the new ability. As he did, another thought crossed his mind. "Can I upgrade it?" Without delay, he opened the enhancement menu. "Upgrade cost: 700 experience points. Upgrade ¡®Illumination¡¯ to Advanced?" Jack confirmed the upgrade. A new notification appeared. --- [Skill Upgraded: Holy Light Illumination (Advanced)] Lv1 Holy Light Illumination: Consumes 3 energy points. Summons a light source that dispels darkness within a 40x40 meter area. Lasts for 90 seconds. Light follows the user¡¯s movements. Detects and reveals enemy creatures within range. "Next upgrade cost: 2,000 experience points." --- Jack burst into laughter. ¡°Hahaha! This is exactly what I needed!¡± Excited, he activated the skill. A glowing orb of golden light appeared above his head, illuminating the surroundings like a bright lantern. Instantly, the dark forest around him became visible. At the same time, a new function appeared in his system menu¡ªa small mini-map. Several black dots moved within the illuminated area. Jack focused on one of the dots. A label appeared: "Lv2 Ordinary Creature: Cat Demon." His eyes gleamed with excitement. "So this skill lets me detect enemies too? This is overpowered!" Jack tightened his grip on his sword and moved toward the nearest black dot. --- Slaughtering the Cat Demons As Jack approached, a cat demon leaped out from behind a tree, launching a surprise attack. Jack reacted instantly, dodging to the side and counterattacking in one fluid motion. His blade slashed across its abdomen. -224! (Weak Point Damage) The cat demon staggered back, severely wounded. Jack didn¡¯t hesitate¡ªhe followed up with two quick slashes. -112! -64! (Lethal Damage) The cat demon collapsed, defeated before it could even land a hit. Jack smirked. ¡°Too easy.¡± One by one, he hunted down the remaining cat demons within his mini-map¡¯s range. With the Holy Light Illumination revealing their locations, their sneak attacks were useless. Jack cut them down effortlessly, collecting experience points and energy coins along the way. Time passed quickly. More than an hour later, Jack had slain over a dozen cat demons. His experience points had soared, and his confidence grew. Just as he finished off another enemy, a sudden flash of movement caught his eye. At the edge of his illumination range, a dark, red-striped figure darted between the trees. Jack''s system alerted him. "Caution! Level 2 Elite Creature Detected: Poisonous Cat Demon!" His heart pounded. ¡°An elite monster?¡± Unlike the ordinary cat demons, this one was larger and had eerie, glowing red stripes along its body. Its claws dripped with a faint, purple substance¡ªpoison. Jack tightened his grip on his sword. "This is going to be a real fight." The Poisonous Cat Demon slowly prowled toward him, its eyes locked onto its next prey. Jack took a deep breath, steadied his stance, and prepared for battle. --- To Be Continued¡­ Would Jack be able to defeat the Poisonous Cat Demon? Or was this elite monster beyond his current strength? Find out in the next chapter! Chapter 10: A Fierce Battle With A Poisonous Cat Demon – A Malicious Attack! Under the effect of the Holy Light Illumination skill, the Poisonous Cat Demon had nowhere to hide. Jack watched carefully as the creature moved swiftly, even faster than an ordinary Cat Demon. It was likely on par with his own speed. However, thanks to his enhanced perception, he could clearly track its movements. Without hesitation, he activated his Insight Technique to analyze his opponent. > Species: Poisonous Cat Demon (Lv2 Elite Creature) Attributes: HP: 800 | Strength: 15 | Agility: 17 | Spirit: 10 | Endurance: 13 | Stamina: 15 Weak Spot: 52 cm below the ribs Jack¡¯s expression turned serious. "Its agility is actually higher than mine!" Until now, Jack had been able to dominate every battle against Goblins and ordinary Cat Demons. His high agility had allowed him to evade attacks effortlessly and strike with precision. But now, this Poisonous Cat Demon had a higher agility stat, which meant he could be the one on the defensive for the first time. He couldn''t allow that to happen. A Quick Boost in Agility! Jack made a snap decision. He needed to increase his agility immediately. Checking his stats, he saw that he had accumulated 6,320 experience points from slaying Cat Demons in the past hour. Initially, he had planned to save them for enhancing his Tang Sword, but the current situation required a different approach. > "Hint: You have consumed 2,000 experience points to strengthen the ''Agility'' attribute for the 11th time. Your Agility +2!" "Hint: You have consumed 2,500 experience points to strengthen the ''Agility'' attribute for the 12th time. Your Agility +4!" A fortunate enhancement effect doubled his agility gain on the second upgrade! Jack¡¯s agility stat was now at 26, surpassing the Poisonous Cat Demon¡¯s 17. But he wasn¡¯t done yet. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Shoes should also enhance agility or at least improve defense!" he thought, deciding to upgrade his leather boots. > "Hint: You spent 500 experience points, ''Poor Quality Leather Boots +5''!" "Hint: You spent 600 experience points, ''Poor Quality Leather Boots +6''!" "Hint: You consumed 700 experience points, triggering a 33% chance to upgrade ''Poor Quality Leather Boots +6'' to ''Exquisite Leather Boots'' (High-Grade Equipment)!" "Finally, an upgrade!" Jack sighed in relief. > Equipment: Exquisite Leather Boots Quality: Lv1 High-Grade Type: Leather Armor Shoes (Increase Movement Speed by 10%) Durability: 25/25 Requirement: Lv1 or above Attributes: HP +80 | Physical Defense +14 | Magic Defense +13 | Agility +4 "This is perfect!" Jack grinned as he checked his updated stats. > Name: Jack Level: Lv1 (20/5000) Race: Carbon-Based Human Occupation: None HP: 340/340 Energy: 105/105 Attributes: Strength: 33 | Agility: 26 | Spirit: 10 | Stamina: 11 | Endurance: 14 Skills: Insight (Advanced), Holy Light Illumination (Advanced) Equipment: Fine Tang Sword +5, Exquisite Leather Boots Energy Coins: 120 Talent: Chaos (SSS-Class) "Now, I''m faster and stronger than the Poisonous Cat Demon. Let¡¯s end this!" The Battle Begins! Jack struck first. As soon as the Poisonous Cat Demon was within three meters, he lunged with his Tang Sword at lightning speed. Clang! The blade clashed against the creature''s skull, producing a dull sound. Jack was momentarily stunned¡ªhis attack didn¡¯t pierce through! > -98 Damage! "Damn, its defense is higher than an ordinary Cat Demon¡¯s!" Even so, Jack¡¯s attack power was overwhelming. Even without hitting a weak spot, he could kill it in nine strikes. The Poisonous Cat Demon let out a painful screech and staggered backward. Jack seized the opportunity and delivered a second attack! > -98 Damage! The creature¡¯s HP dropped to 604. Furious, the Poisonous Cat Demon retaliated! Jack¡¯s eyes sharpened. Unlike normal Cat Demons, this one wasn¡¯t just leaping at him¡ªit lunged with its claws, swinging them twice in quick succession. The emerald-green poisonous glow on its claws signaled extreme danger. Jack dodged effortlessly. His newly-enhanced agility allowed him to react faster. As the creature withdrew its claws, Jack struck at its weak spot! Slash! The Tang Sword sliced through the Poisonous Cat Demon¡¯s abdomen! > -196 (Weak Spot Damage!) "Got it!" Jack grinned. > Battle Info: Weak Spot Hit! Damage x2! Target is Weakened for 2 Seconds! "Weakened? Perfect!" Jack noticed the Poisonous Cat Demon¡¯s movements slow down. "This is my chance!" Without hesitation, he slashed three more times in the short window: > -98! -196! (Weak Spot!) -98! The Poisonous Cat Demon was nearly dead! Just as Jack prepared to deliver the final blow, something unexpected happened¡ª A Sudden, Malicious Attack! Boom! A fireball struck Jack from behind! > -12 HP! A red battle notification appeared: > "Player No. DJ1080 ''Qiu Kuang'' has attacked you, causing 12 damage! You have 60 seconds of justified retaliation. Killing him will allow you to loot all his items!" "What the hell? Someone ambushed me?!" Jack quickly turned around and saw four players approaching. Qiu Kuang, the attacker, had just finished casting Fireball, while his three male companions spread out to surround Jack. "Cowards! They waited for me to be weak before attacking!" But they had underestimated him. Jack smirked coldly. Before dealing with them, he swiftly ended the Poisonous Cat Demon with a final strike! > -98 Damage! Poisonous Cat Demon Defeated! Now, it was time to deal with these ambushers! Jack gripped his Fine Tang Sword +5 tightly and faced the four enemies head-on. "You thought you''d catch me off guard?" Jack sneered. "Now it''s your turn to run!" To be continued¡­ Chapter 11: Slay the Poisonous Cat Demon and Confront the Scumbag Quartet! > "Hint: You have slain the ¡®Poisonous Cat Demon¡¯ (Lv2 Elite Creature)! You gained 315 experience points (5% bonus for defeating a higher-level creature) and 5 energy coins!" "Hint: You are the first person to kill a ¡®Poisonous Cat Demon¡¯ in the G233 Novice Village. Congratulations! You have received a ¡®High-Level Blind Box¡¯ as your first kill reward!" Jack''s breath was still steady as he took in his victory over the Poisonous Cat Demon. The experience and loot were undoubtedly valuable, but there was no time to celebrate. His sharp gaze shifted toward the four figures slowly approaching through the trees. They weren¡¯t here to congratulate him. "Damn it! He actually killed the boss!" one of them cursed, gritting his teeth. "If I had gotten here just a little earlier, I could have taken both the boss and him out in one go!" "What a waste! That boss was supposed to be ours! But¡­ Look at that sword he''s holding. That¡¯s a purple-grade weapon. If we kill him, that beauty will be mine!" "Hah! And don¡¯t forget the boots. Those are pretty solid too. Called dibs on them, so don¡¯t fight me for them!" "Relax. The drop rate for equipment when you actively kill a player is 50%. As long as we finish him off, there¡¯s a good chance we''ll get his weapon." They were chatting casually¡ªas if Jack was already a corpse. Jack didn¡¯t need to ask. Their intentions were crystal clear. A sharp, icy smirk formed on his lips. "So, these guys are actually planning to kill me and loot my gear?" He narrowed his eyes and spoke coldly. "We¡¯re all from the same place. Doesn¡¯t it bother you in the slightest to kill your own people?" For a moment, there was silence. Then, a man covered in crude tattoos, Liu Youliang, burst into laughter. "Psychological burden? Are you serious?!" he sneered. "This guy doesn¡¯t even understand the situation he''s in!" Another one chuckled darkly. "Man, I love killing clueless rookies. It makes it so much more fun!" If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "This world is called the ¡®Killing World¡¯ for a reason," another scumbag chimed in. "Killing here is encouraged. It¡¯s how you survive. You¡¯re too naive, kid." At the back of the group, a sharp-eyed man named Qiu Kuang frowned. Unlike his reckless teammates, he wasn¡¯t laughing¡ªhe was analyzing Jack with a cold gaze. "Enough talking," Qiu Kuang snapped. "He just fought the Poisonous Cat Demon. He must be low on stamina and energy. We should attack now, before he recovers!" Jack¡¯s eyes darkened as he listened. He knew these men weren¡¯t just casual thugs. Before entering the Killing World, they had been enforcers for a ruthless loan shark¡ªa gang of violent debt collectors. They had been involved in extortion, beatings, and even assaulting an elderly woman so brutally that she ended up hospitalized. Now, in this lawless world, they had no restraints. Jack clenched the hilt of his Tang Sword tighter. "Scum like you¡­ the world is better off without." Qiu Kuang sneered as he raised his hand, a fireball forming in his palm. He had awakened the C-rank talent ¡®Fire Control¡¯, making him the most dangerous of the group. "Let¡¯s end this," Qiu Kuang muttered, hurling the fireball at Jack. Jack Strikes First! Whoosh! Jack¡¯s figure blurred as he sidestepped the fireball with ease, leaving a trail of dust where he had stood. "Too slow." Before the flames could even dissipate, Jack was already closing the distance between himself and Liu Youliang¡ªthe loudmouthed tattooed man. Swish! A flash of cold steel gleamed under the dim light. Jack¡¯s blade sliced cleanly through Liu Youliang¡¯s throat! > -260! (Critical Weak Point Damage!) For a brief second, Liu Youliang¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Then¡ªhis head detached from his shoulders, blood spraying like a fountain. He was dead before he could even scream. The remaining three froze in horror. "W-What¡­?" "He killed Liu Youliang in one hit?!" "He can kill us just as easily! Run!" The two melee fighters didn¡¯t hesitate. They turned and sprinted for their lives, abandoning Qiu Kuang. But Jack was faster. Swish! He caught up to the first runner in an instant, his blade slicing through the man¡¯s spine. > -224! (Weak Point Damage!) Before the second one could take another step¡ª Swish! Jack¡¯s Tang Sword found its mark again, slashing cleanly through the neck. > -112! -64! (Lethal Damage!) Two more corpses hit the ground. Only Qiu Kuang remained. The tables had turned. Just seconds ago, he and his men had been laughing, planning how to loot Jack¡¯s corpse. Now, he was the last one standing. His face turned pale. "This¡­ This isn¡¯t possible¡­!" His hands trembled as he tried to summon another fireball¡ª But Jack was already upon him. A cold voice whispered in his ear. "Goodbye." Swish! Jack¡¯s blade silenced him forever. > "Hint: You have killed ¡®Liu Youliang¡¯ (ID: CS4040). As this was a counterattack, the opponent has dropped all items!" "Hint: You have killed ¡®Qiu Kuang¡¯ (ID: DJ1080). As this was a counterattack, the opponent has dropped all items!" The scumbag quartet was wiped out. Jack let out a slow breath, steadying his hands. The Weight of Killing Killing monsters was one thing. But killing people¡­? Even if they were murderous scum, it still left a strange weight in his chest. He took a deep breath. "They would have killed me without hesitation. This was survival." Slowly, Jack gathered their loot. The spoils included: 106 Energy Coins Two Whiteboard-Grade Equipment Pieces One Special Item¡­ Jack¡¯s eyes narrowed as he picked up a small card, radiating a faint glow. > "Item: Talent Card (C-Rank) ¨C Fire Control" Type: One-time consumable (Non-tradable) Requirements: None Effect: Upon use, grants the ¡®Fire Control¡¯ talent as a permanent skill." Source: Talent Cards have a chance to drop when players kill each other." Jack¡¯s grip on the card tightened. "So¡­ Killing people doesn¡¯t just drop their gear¡ªit can even steal their talents?" A dangerous realization settled in. The Killing World was even more ruthless than he had imagined. This wasn¡¯t just about survival. It was about who could kill, and who would be killed. Jack¡¯s expression darkened. "If people find out I have an SSS-rank talent¡­ there will be endless assassins coming after me." "I must keep a low profile. Until I¡¯m truly invincible, I must stay in the shadows." Taking a final breath, he crushed the Talent Card. A rush of heat surged through his veins. > "New Skill Acquired: Fire Control (C-Rank)" A small flame flickered in Jack¡¯s palm. A new weapon had been added to his arsenal. And in this world¡­ every weapon counted. --- End of Chapter 11 Chapter 12: Surprise, Blood Orchid Fruit! Rare Skill: Fire Control Effect: Create a fireball with your hands, charge for two seconds, and attack creatures within a 20-meter range. Each use consumes two energy points, dealing 150% of the "Spirit" attribute''s magic output as damage. Alternatively, spend five energy points to enchant a weapon with fire, granting an additional 100 "Spirit" magic damage per attack for 30 seconds. Jack examined the new skill and immediately tested it. After a few attempts, he came to a conclusion. "Fireballs are useful for ranged attacks, but their speed isn''t great. The farther the target, the harder it is to hit. It won''t be very reliable in fast combat." However, the flame enchantment was another story. Adding fire damage to his weapon significantly boosted his attack power. "Since this C-tier talent has become a rare-quality skill, I should try upgrading it." Jack activated his talent to enhance the skill. System Notification: Enhancing this skill requires 10,000 experience points. Insufficient experience points; enhancement failed. Jack sighed. "That¡¯s expensive... It really is a rare skill." Since he''d recently spent a lot of experience points on agility and equipment upgrades, he had less than 500 left. Enhancing this skill would have to wait until he gained more experience. He then turned his attention to the loot dropped by the defeated scumbag quartet. The first item was a simple cloth shirt: Equipment: Simple Cloth Quality: Lv1 Normal Type: Cloth Armor Durability: 15/15 Requirements: Lv1 or above Attributes: +20 HP, +1 physical defense, +5% Spirit boost The second item was an old cross: Equipment: Dilapidated Cross Quality: Lv1 Normal Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Type: Heavy weapon Durability: 15/15 Requirements: Lv1 or above Attributes: +1 Spirit, +1 physical/magic defense Effect: Reduces attack speed by 10%, increases healing skill effectiveness by 5% Jack put on the cloth armor. It wasn''t great, but it was better than nothing. As for the cross, he had no use for it and decided to store it in his backpack. Maybe he could trade it later. With the items sorted, he turned to the high-level blind box he had earned from slaying the poisonous cat demon. System Notification: You have opened a High-Level Blind Box. Congratulations! You have obtained the equipment: "Gale Necklace." Equipment: Gale Necklace Quality: Lv2 High Type: Jewelry Requirements: Lv1 or above Attributes: +3 Agility, +5 Energy Jack grinned. "A necklace! My equipment set is coming together nicely." The +3 Agility was particularly valuable. Speed was his greatest asset, and every point counted. As he reviewed his inventory, Jack thought about the four players he had just defeated. They were all Level 2 and had dared to hunt cat demons here, meaning they were among the stronger players in G233 Novice Village. And yet, despite their level, all they had was low-tier gear. Compared to them, Jack¡¯s equipment was leagues ahead. Still, he reminded himself not to get complacent. "No time to be proud. Gotta keep grinding." A Change in Strategy Jack decided to explore further into the forest. The encounter with the scumbag quartet had been a wake-up call¡ªstronger players were coming here to farm cat demons. If he stayed in the same area, he¡¯d run into more trouble. While he wasn''t afraid of anyone, he didn''t want to attract unnecessary attention. If word got out about his performance, he''d become a target for larger groups looking to take him down. It was time to push deeper into unknown territory. Jack continued hunting cat demons as he moved, making sure not to waste time. With his improved agility and strength, he could now kill a cat demon in just three strikes. If he landed a critical hit on a weak spot, he could take one down in a single blow. This meant faster kills and more experience points. A New Discovery After nearly an hour of fighting and traveling, Jack reached the edge of the cat demon''s territory. Ahead of him, the dark forest opened into a vast, sunlit plain. The bright light allowed him to see far into the distance, where he spotted reptilian creatures resembling Komodo dragons scattered across the field. They were spaced about ten meters apart, making them easy targets for solo fights. Jack prepared to approach one stealthily, intending to use Insight to scan its stats before engaging. But then, something caught his attention. A strange, sweet fragrance drifted through the air. "Huh? What''s that smell?" Curious, Jack followed the scent deeper into the forest. After a short search, he found the source¡ªa bright red flower growing at the base of a large tree. Nestled within its petals was a thumb-sized, dark red fruit. As soon as Jack focused on it, a virtual panel displayed the information: Item: Blood Orchid Fruit Type: Rare Plant Requirements: 15 Stamina or higher Effect: Consuming this fruit permanently increases Stamina by 5 points. Note: This is a gift from nature! However, picking it will provoke the wrath of the Violent Cat Demon! Jack¡¯s eyes lit up. "A gift from nature... This must be one of the hidden opportunities mentioned in the system announcement!" Without hesitation, he plucked the fruit. His Stamina was currently at 11, meaning he needed four more points to meet the requirement. No problem¡ªhe could just level up his Stamina right now. System Notification: You have consumed 600, 700, 800, and 900 experience points to strengthen the "Stamina" attribute four times. Stamina +4! Now he met the requirement. System Notification: You have consumed the Blood Orchid Fruit. Stamina +5! Jack immediately felt the benefits. His HP and defense had increased significantly, making him even more durable. He had barely finished processing his new stats when¡ª "Wooooo¡ª!" A chilling, bloodcurdling howl echoed through the trees. Jack instinctively looked up. From the thick branches above, a blur of white fur streaked toward him. A Violent Cat Demon was attacking! Jack reacted instantly, sidestepping the incoming attack. The creature landed where he had just been, snarling. Unlike the previous poisonous cat demon, this one was much larger and had sleek, snow-white fur. Its eyes gleamed with feral rage. Jack activated Insight. Species: Violent Cat Demon (Lv3 Elite Creature) HP: 1500 Strength: 20 Agility: 22 Spirit: 12 Endurance: 18 Stamina: 20 Weak Spot: 48 cm below the ribcage. Jack frowned. "This one¡¯s even stronger than the last." But he was stronger, too. The Violent Cat Demon circled him, its sharp claws gleaming in the sunlight. Jack tightened his grip on his Tang sword. A high-level fight was about to begin. To be continued¡­ --- Chapter 13: A Fierce Battle With the Lv3 Lord Creature, the Violent Cat Demon! The Violent Cat Demon moved at an incredible speed. At the critical moment, Jack rolled on the ground, narrowly avoiding the attack range, and quickly used his Insight Spell on it. > Species: Violent Cat Demon (Lv3 Lord Creature) Attributes: HP: 2000, Strength: 25, Agility: 33, Spirit: 15, Stamina: 19, Endurance: 25 Weak Spot: 32 cm below the ribs "A Lord Creature," Jack muttered, his gaze tightening. "So it really is a Violent Cat Demon!" When he first learned about the Blood Orchid Fruit, he had assumed it would take time for the Violent Cat Demon to appear. He had planned to slip out of the jungle and hunt weaker creatures on the plains before facing it. But to his surprise, the creature had been lurking all along¡ªhiding on the thick trunk of a massive tree beside the Blood Orchid. This was the strongest creature Jack had encountered so far. Its HP and agility were both incredibly high, nearly matching his own. "If I hadn''t gotten the Gale Necklace from the Advanced Blind Box after my first kill of the Poisonous Cat Demon, my agility would have been exactly the same as this thing¡¯s!" Jack knew that Lord Creatures had more than just brute force¡ªthey possessed special skills as well. He couldn¡¯t afford to be careless. He dodged swiftly, focusing entirely on avoiding its attacks while simultaneously working on enhancing his agility. --- Allocating Experience Points for Agility During his previous hunt, Jack had slaughtered ordinary cat demons for over half an hour, accumulating nearly 9,000 experience points. He had purposely avoided using them right away. Why? Jack had thought long and hard about this. > By storing experience points, he could choose to upgrade the attributes he needed most¡ª depending on the enemy he faced. For example: If he needed more defense, he could boost Endurance. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. If he needed high burst damage, he could increase Strength. But against a fast enemy, Agility was key! And right now, speed was the only thing keeping him alive! --- Jack''s Rapid Agility Boost Jack immediately allocated his experience points to boost Agility. > Hint: You have consumed 3000 experience points to strengthen "Agility" (13th time). Agility +4! Hint: You have consumed 3500 experience points to strengthen "Agility" (14th time). Agility +2! The enhancements triggered a doubling effect¡ªboosting his Agility by 6 points in an instant! Now, his Agility stat reached 42, surpassing the Violent Cat Demon¡¯s 33 by 9 points! With this increased speed, Jack finally had the edge! --- The Battle Begins! > Swoosh! The Violent Cat Demon swiped its razor-sharp claws, aiming for Jack¡¯s throat. But he dodged with ease. > It was a purely physical attack-type boss. Its movement speed was slower than Jack¡¯s, but its attack speed was terrifying¡ªso fast that every swipe created a sharp whooshing sound as it sliced through the air! For now, Jack focused on dodging, not attacking. After about a minute, he noticed something: > The Violent Cat Demon only had one attack pattern¡ªswiping its claws! That meant it was predictable. Jack''s confidence grew. He gripped his Tang Sword tightly and prepared to counterattack. --- The First Strike! The next time the Violent Cat Demon lunged, Jack was ready. As soon as its claws finished swinging, he saw an opening and slashed at its shoulder. > -108! Jack frowned slightly. > "I was aiming for its weak spot, but it dodged!" Still, the damage was high. A quick calculation: If each attack dealt around 100 damage, then 20 hits would kill it! Jack''s confidence soared. But then¡ª --- A Terrifying Discovery! The Violent Cat Demon roared in rage. It swiped its claws even faster, trying desperately to rip Jack apart. Jack dodged each strike, his agility saving him every time. > His Tang Sword became his greatest weapon. Each time the Violent Cat Demon left an opening, he struck¡ªagain and again. -108! -110! -112! But something felt off. Jack noticed that his attacks were dealing slightly more damage. Then¡ªhe realized why. > "Wait¡­ why is this thing getting FASTER?" The Violent Cat Demon¡¯s movement speed had increased! At first, dodging was easy. Now, he was struggling. > Jack had unknowingly triggered a hidden ability¡ª "The lower its HP, the faster it gets!" --- The Final Gamble! The Violent Cat Demon¡¯s HP dropped to one-third. Jack was now barely faster than it. > "If I let this drag on, it''ll eventually be faster than me!" He quickly checked its remaining HP: > 312 HP left. If I hit its weak spot, I can finish it in two strikes! Jack gritted his teeth. > ¡°I have to risk it!¡± --- The Decisive Strike! The Violent Cat Demon lunged at him again. But instead of dodging¡ª Jack charged straight in! He shoulder-checked the monster, knocking it off balance. In that brief mid-air moment, he thrust his Tang Sword forward. The first strike¡ªhit the weak spot! The second strike¡ªended it! > -136! Critical Hit! But¡ª At the same moment, the Violent Cat Demon landed two final attacks on Jack! -81! -81! Pain shot through Jack¡¯s body. He staggered back, gasping. > ¡°Damn¡­ that hurt!¡± Even after eating the Blood Orchid Fruit, he had only 430 HP. Those two hits had nearly wiped out a third of his health! > ¡°My attack is good, but my defense is too weak!¡± Still¡ª > "At least I won." Jack looked down at the lifeless corpse of the Violent Cat Demon. A victorious grin spread across his face. --- Jack¡¯s Reward! > Hint: You killed the "Violent Cat Demon (Lv3 Lord Creature)"! You gained 1100 experience points (+10% bonus), and 10 Energy Coins! > Hint: You are the first in G233 Novice Village to kill the "Violent Cat Demon"! Congratulations! You have received 2 "Rare Blind Boxes"! Jack¡¯s eyes widened. > "Two rare blind boxes?!" The pain instantly disappeared. Then¡ª A system prompt appeared: > "A village-wide announcement is about to be made. Do you want to hide your name?" Jack didn¡¯t hesitate. > "Yes. Keep my identity hidden." He had no plans to make himself a target. For now, he would remain in the shadows¡­ and grow stronger. Chapter 14: Harvest! Battle Power Surges! Village Announcement: "Player ??? with ID SJ,8848 has killed ''Violent Cat Demon (Lv3 Lord Creature)'' in the ''Dark Forest'' map and received the first kill reward. His heroic deeds will be recorded in the history of Novice Village No. G233!" X3! The village announcement flashed three times in a row. Suddenly, the public chat channel exploded. "A Level 3 Violent Cat Demon? Am I seeing this right? How is that even possible? I¡¯ve been grinding for hours and can barely handle a Level 2 ordinary cat demon one-on-one!" "Wait a second... notice the title after Lv3¡ª''Lord Creature.'' That¡¯s a high-tier boss!" "Uh... can someone explain what a ''Lord Creature'' is? Any veterans here?" "I¡¯m from the fifth team that managed to take down a Level 2 elite creature¡ªthe Pipi Deer. I can tell you that killing an elite boss grants a high-quality treasure chest, but it doesn¡¯t trigger a full-village announcement!" "So, Lord Creatures are even stronger than Elite Creatures? Damn! And this guy soloed it?!" "Boss SJ,8848, please reveal yourself! I just want to... uh, make friends." "Hold on! Swallow, don¡¯t leave me! I¡¯m gonna find a Level 3 Lord Creature too!" "This handsome guy also wants to be friends with the mysterious SJ,8848!" The entire Novice Village G233, which had been relatively calm, was now buzzing with excitement. Players quickly realized that a Lord Creature was even stronger than an Elite Boss, and that someone had defeated one alone. Many people were eager to get on this powerhouse¡¯s good side. Remaining in the Shadows Jack quietly observed the chat while letting out a sigh of relief. "Good thing I hid my name. If people found out who I was, staying low-key would be impossible." In The Killing World, basic player information¡ªsuch as level, name, and occupation¡ªcould be viewed using ordinary reconnaissance skills, but ID numbers were never displayed. As long as Jack kept his name hidden, no one would know he was the mysterious player who soloed the Violent Cat Demon. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. After resting for a while, he felt his health gradually recovering. In this game, HP automatically regenerated outside of combat, though at a slow pace. The 12 HP he had lost earlier from Qiu Kuang¡¯s fireball attack had already been restored. His health was now back above 400 points. "Alright, time to check my spoils." Ensuring his surroundings were safe, Jack activated Holy Light Illumination to scan for threats. Satisfied, he turned his attention to the blind boxes he had earned. Opening the Blind Boxes System Notification: "You have opened a ''Rare Blind Box.'' Congratulations! You have obtained the skill book ''Violent Power!''" "You have opened a ''Normal Blind Box.'' Congratulations! You have obtained the equipment ''Fine Crossbow!''" New Skill: Violent Power (Rare Quality Skill Book) Type: Tradable one-time consumable Learning Requirements: Level 3, Strength 20+ Skill Effect (Lv1): Passive ability: For every 1% HP lost, Strength and Agility increase by 1%, up to 20% max. When HP falls below 50%, gain a 10% lifesteal effect on all attacks. Jack''s eyes lit up. "As expected from a rare-quality skill¡ªthis is insane!" Without hesitation, he learned Violent Power. With this skill, his combat effectiveness and survivability would significantly improve. Next, he checked the equipment he had obtained. New Weapon: Fine Crossbow Quality: Lv3 Rare Type: Light Weapon Durability: 500/500 Requirements: Level 3, Agility 20+ Attributes: Physical Attack: +55 Agility: +6 Attack Speed: +5% Special Effect: Attacks reduce enemy Physical Defense by 12% for 10 seconds. Jack frowned. Something seemed off. "This thing has way too much durability!" For comparison, his Fine Tang Sword +5 had a durability cap of just 50 points¡ªone-tenth of the crossbow¡¯s. Curious about its performance, he decided to test it on a nearby cat demon. Testing the Fine Crossbow Jack aimed and fired. Thwip! The crossbow launched arrows at a rate of two per second, but accuracy depended on manual aim. Since Jack had never used a repeating crossbow before, only one out of three arrows actually hit the target. -85! The damage number appeared above the cat demon¡¯s head. Enraged, the creature charged at him. Jack adjusted his aim, and as the cat demon got closer, his accuracy improved. Within moments, the beast was dead. As he checked his weapon, Jack finally understood the crossbow¡¯s durability system. "Each shot consumes 1 durability point¡ªso, this thing basically has 500 rounds before breaking." He also noticed another important detail. "I can equip two weapons at the same time¡ªmy Tang Sword and the Crossbow¡ªbut their attack power doesn¡¯t stack. Their damage calculations are independent." After some more testing, Jack came to a conclusion. "The crossbow is a great backup weapon, but it¡¯s not practical for my playstyle." It consumes durability quickly. Repair costs are high (1 Energy Coin restores 10 durability). Using it effectively requires practice. Still, it had one advantage¡ªit could weaken an enemy¡¯s defense before switching to melee combat. Jack decided to keep it as a secondary weapon. With the crossbow holstered at his waist, he left the Dark Forest and headed for the plains. Hunting the Mutant Monitor Lizards As Jack entered the open plains, he spotted a new type of monster: giant lizard-like creatures roaming in the distance. Activating Insight, he scanned one. Mutant Monitor Lizard (Lv3 Ordinary Creature) HP: 600 Strength: 19 Agility: 12 Spirit: 10 Endurance: 13 Stamina: 17 Weak Spot: Eyes Jack grinned. "I love fighting slow monsters." He approached the nearest lizard, which was dozing in the sun. Jack raised his crossbow and fired. -76! The attack triggered the armor-breaking effect, reducing the lizard¡¯s defense by 10% for 10 seconds. Jack dashed in with his Tang Sword, dual-wielding it with both hands. -128! -128! -128! The lizard barely had time to react before it was dead. System Notification: "You have killed ''Mutant Monitor Lizard (Lv3 Ordinary Creature).'' Gained 165 XP (+10% level-up bonus) and 1 Energy Coin!" "Congratulations! You are the first player to kill a ''Mutant Monitor Lizard'' in Novice Village G233! You have received a ''Normal Blind Box'' as a first-kill reward!" Jack smirked. "Good experience, solid kill efficiency¡ªthis place is perfect for grinding!" He reached into his backpack and took out a Medium Experience Potion he had been saving. Strengthening the potion would require 10,000 XP, which he didn¡¯t have at the moment. Besides, it wasn¡¯t worth upgrading a consumable early on. Instead, Jack simply drank it straight¡ªand prepared to slaughter his way across the plains! To Be Continued¡­ --- Chapter 15: Dark Gold Quality Tang Sword! The Blood Moon Rises—A Dangerous Night Time passed slowly as Jack became engrossed in hunting mutant giant lizards. The thrill of gaining experience points and loot kept him going. Before he realized it, the sun had begun to set, casting an orange glow over the horizon. Just as he landed the final blow on another mutant giant lizard, a sudden cold announcement echoed through the world: "Announcement: Night is about to fall, and the Blood Moon will rise in one hour!" "Under the Blood Moon, all monsters in Novice Village will have their overall strength increased by 50%. However, the rewards for killing them will also increase by 20%. Additionally, Boss monsters will be able to leave their territories and appear anywhere except the wooden house area." "The Blood Moon will last for 8 hours. All warriors, please prepare accordingly!" Chat Channel: > "Monsters becoming stronger at night? Are they forcing me to hide in my cabin and sleep?" > "I spent my whole life working overtime in the corporate world. I thought I¡¯d grind hard in the Killing World too, but now¡­ I think I¡¯ll just call it a night!" > "But the increased rewards at night¡­ kinda tempting. What do you think, old scroll king? You still grinding?" > "Nope. I¡¯ll let the younger ones take the risk this time!" > "Young people shouldn¡¯t be taking these kinds of risks!" > "Come back soon, Yanzi. It¡¯s dangerous out there. I''ll keep you warm..." As messages flooded the chat, it became clear that many players had already decided to return to their cabins and sit the night out. Jack, on the other hand, felt a mix of surprise and unease. "So this world even has events like this?" On one hand, grinding at night would mean 20% more rewards, essentially like having a permanent experience booster active. But on the other hand, the announcement stated that Boss monsters could roam freely at night. Jack wasn¡¯t too concerned about fighting a Lv3 Violent Cat Demon even with the 50% power boost. If necessary, he could take it down with some extra effort. But what if a higher-level, stronger Boss appeared? Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. After careful consideration, Jack made his decision. "It¡¯s only the first day. There¡¯s no need to take unnecessary risks¡ªI¡¯ll have plenty of chances later." Jack decided to head back to his cabin before the Blood Moon rose. His current location was quite far from the safe zone, so he couldn¡¯t afford to waste time. He would only stop if he encountered a monster that could be instantly killed. It was time to invest his experience points. Spending Experience Points Wisely "I¡¯ve spent over three hours grinding mutant giant lizards. In total, I¡¯ve killed nearly 400 of them and gained almost 65,000 experience points!" Of course, Jack had already spent over 20,000 points strengthening his Strength, Agility, Spirit, Endurance, and Stamina along the way. Now, he had a solid 40,000 experience points left. "I¡¯ll set aside 20,000 for emergencies and use the rest to strengthen my Tang Sword." Experience points were limited, but there were many ways to invest them. Should He Upgrade His Attributes or His Weapon? Upgrading his attributes? Jack had already boosted his core stats over 15 times, and each upgrade now required 4500 experience points¡ªa steep price for a small boost. Instead of that, upgrading his weapon would yield far greater combat benefits. "Strengthening the Tang Sword is the best option." It was already at +5, and each enhancement had a chance to improve its quality. If it upgraded to the next tier, the benefits would be game-changing. As for his other equipment? Jack quickly dismissed the idea. "They¡¯re all low quality. Sooner or later, I¡¯ll have to replace them anyway." Even the Crossbow wasn¡¯t worth heavy investment¡ªjust enough to keep it useful. With his decision made, Jack immediately started strengthening his Tang Sword. Strengthening the Tang Sword "Tip: You have consumed 3500 experience points. [Exquisite Tang Sword +6]. Attributes slightly improved." No quality upgrade. "Tip: You have consumed 4000 experience points. [Exquisite Tang Sword +7]. Attributes slightly improved." Still no luck. "Tip: You have consumed 4500 experience points. [Exquisite Tang Sword +8]. Attributes slightly improved." Failure again. "Tip: You have consumed 5000 experience points. [Exquisite Tang Sword +9]. Attributes slightly improved." Four failed upgrades in a row. Jack gritted his teeth in frustration. "33% success rate, and I failed four times?! This is robbery!" 17,000 experience points had vanished in the blink of an eye. But he wasn¡¯t about to stop now. Jack bet everything on one final attempt. "Tip: You have consumed 5500 experience points. [Exquisite Tang Sword +9] has upgraded to Dark Gold quality! The enhancement count has reset, and attributes have greatly improved!" Jack¡¯s eyes widened in excitement. "It worked!" His Tang Sword had transformed into a Dark Gold-grade weapon. The sword¡¯s color shifted to a deep, gleaming gold, exuding a powerful aura. Jack couldn¡¯t wait to check the new stats. --- Equipment: [Top-Grade Tang Sword] Quality: Lv1 Dark Gold Type: Light Weapon (+10% Attack Speed) Durability: 100/100 Requirements: Level 1, Strength 30+ Attributes: Physical Attack: +268 Strength: +52 Agility: +14 Special Abilities: 1. Attack Speed +11%. When hitting an enemy''s weak spot, 5% chance to weaken all enemy attributes by 30% for 3 seconds. 2. Normal attacks release a 2-meter-long energy slash. Evaluation: "As the name suggests, this is the best among Tang Swords!" --- "Insane!" Jack could hardly contain his excitement. His attack power had more than doubled, and the new special abilities were amazing. Without hesitation, Jack tested his new weapon on a nearby Lv3 mutant giant lizard. He swung. -393! The lizard died in two hits. If he hit its weak spot, it would die in one strike. More importantly, the 2-meter energy slash allowed him to attack from a distance. "This changes everything. My combat potential just skyrocketed!" Jack wasn¡¯t done yet. Since the enhancement counter reset, he could strengthen the sword again. --- "Tip: You have consumed 5000 experience points. [Top-Grade Tang Sword +1]. Attributes slightly improved." "Tip: You have consumed 6000 experience points. [Top-Grade Tang Sword +2]. Attributes slightly improved." --- His sword¡¯s base attributes grew even stronger: Physical Attack: +298 Strength: +62 Agility: +21 Jack smirked in satisfaction. Then, a special announcement popped up. --- "Tip: You have obtained the Dark Gold Equipment [Top-Grade Tang Sword]. The Village Equipment Ranking List is now open." 1st: [Top-Grade Tang Sword] 2nd: [Top-Grade Crossbow] 7th: [Wind Necklace] 10th: [Exquisite Leather Boots] "Do you wish to hide your name?" Jack chuckled. "Of course." It was too early to reveal his true strength. For now, he would remain a shadow in the ranks¡ªuntil the time was right. --- End of Chapter 15 Chapter 16: Village Equipment Rankings, Sisters Dilemma A Hidden Ranking System? "Obtaining Dark Gold equipment actually opens up a ranking system for the entire village?" Jack muttered in surprise. Curious, he quickly navigated through the system menu and found the Village Equipment Ranking section. Village Equipment Ranking Note: The ranking updates daily at 12:00 a.m. Based on ranking positions, corresponding rewards will be issued each day. After the novice period, a mystery gift package will be awarded based on the final ranking! Top 10 Equipment Holders in Novice Village G233 NO.1: ??? (Player ID: SJ,8848) Equipped Item: Top-grade Tang Sword +2 (Lv1 Dark Gold Quality) Daily Reward: 30,000 Experience Points NO.2: ??? (Player ID: SJ,8848) Equipped Item: Fine Crossbow (Lv3 Rare Quality) Daily Reward: 20,000 Experience Points NO.3: Liu Mouren (Player ID: PD1400) Equipped Item: Berserker Shoulder Armor (Lv1 Rare Quality) Daily Reward: 10,000 Experience Points NO.7: ??? (Player ID: SJ,8848) Equipped Item: Wind Necklace (Lv2 High Quality) Daily Reward: 5,000 Experience Points NO.10: ??? (Player ID: SJ,8848) Equipped Item: Exquisite Leather Boots (Lv1 High Quality) Daily Reward: 5,000 Experience Points --- The rankings only displayed the top ten players, and Jack had four of the ten spots! Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. With the daily passive experience gain reaching 60,000 points, Jack was beyond pleased. "I don¡¯t even have to grind for experience anymore... this is insane!" Despite his excitement, he also noticed a few other strong players on the list. "That Liu Mouren guy in third place must be pretty strong if he managed to get Rare Quality armor." Still, Jack knew the gap between first place and third was massive. "If I can keep this pace up, I might be able to claim all ten slots eventually!" Feeling a surge of motivation, he clenched his fists. However, he didn¡¯t have much time to grind today¡ªthe Blood Moon was about to rise. He needed to return to the cabin area before nightfall to avoid unnecessary dangers. --- Jack¡¯s Current Status Before heading back, Jack checked his character panel. Character Panel Name: Jack Player ID: SJ,8848 Race: Carbon-based Human Level: Lv1 (645/5000) Occupation: None HP: 430/430 Energy: 105/105 Attributes: Strength: 89 Agility: 72 Spirit: 21 Stamina: 28 Endurance: 20 Free Attribute Points: 0 Skills: Insight (Advanced Skill) Holy Light Illumination (Lv1, Advanced Skill) Fire Control (Lv1, Rare Skill) Violent Force (Lv1, Rare Skill) Equipment: Fine Tang Sword +5 Exquisite Leather Boots Energy Coin Balance: 213 Talent: Chaos (SSS-Rank Quality) With his enhanced stats and new skills, Jack had adapted to dual-wield combat¡ªhis Tang Sword in one hand and Crossbow in the other. On his way back, he hunted monsters with ease. His high agility allowed him to fire arrows while running. As he moved, his sword flashed, finishing off enemies in a single strike. With every kill, he gained experience rapidly. Returning to Mirkwood, he found that the Cat Demons were no longer a threat. "As long as I land a hit, they die instantly¡ªweak point or not." Despite his constant movement, Jack¡¯s leveling speed was still outrageous. --- Explosive Reactions from the Village Chat The moment the Village Equipment Rankings were revealed, the public chat exploded. "Damn! Out of the top 10, this SJ,8848 guy owns FOUR slots?!" "No wonder he was the first to kill the Violent Cat Demon¡ªthis guy¡¯s a monster!" "A Dark Gold-quality Tang Sword? That¡¯s insane!" "Dad! I¡¯ve finally found you! Please take me under your wing!" Within seconds, hundreds of messages flooded the chat. There were 900+ players still alive in the village, all competing for just ten leaderboard spots¡ªmaking Jack¡¯s dominance even more impressive. Many worshipped his strength, some begged to join him, and others... had darker motives. "Does anyone know who SJ,8848 is? I¡¯ll pay 20 Energy Coins for info!" "Hiding his name again? If I had his strength, I¡¯d show off immediately!" "Come on, 8848! Be a man like Liu Mouren and reveal yourself! Let us admire you!" However, those who understood human nature saw through this deception instantly. "Be careful, SJ,8848. These guys are trying to find you to steal your equipment." Jack, reading these messages, remained silent. "Smart move hiding my name. Otherwise, I¡¯d be swarmed by either bootlickers or backstabbers." With a smirk, he closed the chat and focused on reaching his cabin. --- Sisters in Danger Meanwhile, in a small wooden house in the village, two sisters¡ªSu Qiutong and Su Youwei¡ªwere in deep trouble. A loud knock echoed through their cabin. "Bang! Bang! Bang!" Outside, a group of men sneered. "Open the door, little sisters! We¡¯re good people!" "No need to be scared, we just want to ¡®play¡¯ together." "Hahaha, I¡¯ve been watching you two all day. You barely went outside, right? You must be hungry. Don¡¯t worry, we have Energy Coins for you! Just open the door, and we¡¯ll share them for free!" It was a trap. These scumbags had been waiting for a chance to prey on vulnerable players¡ªand the two sisters were their latest target. Inside the cabin, Su Qiutong and Su Youwei huddled together, their bodies trembling. They knew that as long as they kept the door shut, they were safe¡ªthe Novice Protection Period guaranteed it. But this safety was only temporary. "We can¡¯t stay locked in here forever. Eventually, we¡¯ll have to go out for food and resources." Su Youwei¡¯s voice trembled. "Sister... what do we do?" Su Qiutong stroked her younger sister¡¯s head, trying to act calm, even though she was terrified inside. She whispered, "Don¡¯t be afraid... I¡¯ll think of something." But deep down, she knew they were trapped. If only she had awakened a combat-type talent¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t be in this mess. Even worse, she regretted her hesitation earlier. "I should have approached that strong player who killed the first Goblin boss." "If I had teamed up with him back then, we wouldn¡¯t be helpless now." But it was too late. Now, all they could do was hope for a miracle. --- To Be Continued¡­